Green Roofs at Toronto Public Library
Did you know there are three Toronto Public Library branches with green roofs? According to library blogger Zoe, in 2009 Toronto was the first city in North America to require all new buildings to incorporate a green roof.
The photos below show two green roofs at the Toronto Reference Library (TRL) which make up approximately 20% of the total roof surface area. They are part of the multi-year revitalization that is finishing up this Fall 2014. The first photo was taken from the 5th floor Arts Department looking down to Yonge and Asquith.
Green roofs are beneficial as they help manage storm water runoff and as well they contribute to reducing the urban heat island effect (the temperature is cities is significantly hotter due to human activities). The photo below shows the green roof parallel to Yonge Street.
The growing medium is a special light weight mix about 150 mm deep. The vegetation is a meadow mix as follows: 15% Buffalo Grass (Buchloe dactyloides); 5% Creeping Red Fescue (Festuca Rubra); 20% Chewings Fescue (Festuca rubra commutata); 25% Tall Fescue (Festuca arundinacea); 5% Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta); 5% New England Aster (Aster novae-angliae); 5% Dwarf Plains Coreopsis (Coreopsis Tinctoria); 5% White Yarrow (Achilea millifolium); 5% Prairie Blazing Star (Liatris pycnostachya); 5% Evening Scented Primrose (Oenothera lamarackiana); and 5% Rocky Mountain Penstemon (Penstemon strictus).
TRL was designed by Raymond Moriyama with an awe inspiring five-storey atrium open space and many hanging plants from the various floors giving it a "Garden of Babylon" feel as you can see from the vintage 1977 photo and the more current one below it.
The recently renovated and award winning Bloor Gladstone Library Branch (which celebrated 100 years in 2013) has a wonderful green roof and an outdoor reading garden (see the two photos below). We have a pinterest board that shows the history of the branch in photos.
Newly opened Fort York Branch is Toronto's 99th public library and worth a visit (see photos below). It has a green roof as well as a Digital Innovation Hub.
The Scarborough Civic Centre Branch Library, under construction and expected to be open in Spring 2015, will also have a green roof. Lastly the Albion Branch, which will start its renovation in 2015, will feature a green roof.
Fort York Branch Toronto Public Library Green Roof November 2013
Fort York Branch Toronto Public Library Green Roof November 2013
I was inspired to blog about green roofs and gardens when I saw the cover of a new book New York Rooftop Gardens.
This was not the only book we had on this subject – who knew there was a mini publishing bonanza on the rooftops of NYC?
11 thoughts on “Green Roofs at Toronto Public Library”
This is so awesome!
Glad you liked the post – thanks for leaving a comment.
Does the Toronto Public Library have any gardens? Plus great post!
Hi – glad you liked the post – thanks for taking to time to respond. Off the top of my head I know of several TPL branch libraries that have gardens. The Eatonville Library has a really wonderful garden done by the Etobicoke Horticultural Society – here’s a link
http://www.gardenontario.org/site.php/etobicoke/news/online/3588
Beaches Branch has a new outdoor Reading Garden. The Toronto Reference Library has the Marian Engel Memorial Garden in the back of the building. The Lillian Smith Library has a garden in the back as well – but it’s not formally associated with the Library – here’s a link:
http://www.recreatingeden.com/index.php?pid=8&season=01&episode=10
You can contact TPL’s answerline service and they could give a fuller answer or forward your request to someone who would know more.
bill v.
Thanks so much for the speedy reply. I hope you’ll feature a blog post about TPL gardens one day! 🙂
There are some pictures of Toronto Public Library’s gardens mixed in among our pinterest boards on branches and Carnegie Libraries in Toronto – you may be interested in browsing some of these photos at the two boards below:
http://www.pinterest.com/torontolibrary/toronto-public-library-branch-buildings/
http://www.pinterest.com/torontolibrary/carnegie-libraries-toronto-public-library-history/
There are many current photos on these boards and also quite a number of vintage photos that show our libraries as they were.
enjoy !
Thank you for this post! It’s a wonderful initiative! I’m glad to know TPL is taking a part in it.
Like a little cool oasis in the city .. right at our libraries .. Cool .. Thanks for posting this and for bring this to our attention about this great feature, even roof top parks of green. Goes to prove our libraries have it all .. Well Done !
thanks for your nice comments – and glad you enjoyed the post!
What would you suggest for trying to get already existing libraries to update their roofs? Go branch by branch, or city wide? What department do they fall under? Facilities, design, employee health, or something else? Thanks.
Thanks for your comment and interest. The new Scarborough Civic Centre Branch will have a green roof and the plans for the renovated Albion Branch also include a green roof. It may not be possible for each branch to have one due to various factors but green roofs are definitely on the radar of Toronto Public Library. Bill V.